Paranoia
by Fantasie in D Minor
Summary: He didn’t plan on receiving help from her, and she didn’t plan on giving it. Fate, however, would have none of that. CloudElena.


**Paranoia **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FFVII/Sequels/Prequels. All I own is Elena's apparent candy cane phobia.

**Summary: **He didn't plan on receiving help from her; she didn't plan on giving it. Fate, however, would have none of that. CloudElena.

**Intro: **As you will probably guess by the end of this chapter, this fiction does not work with AC. Completely ignore that it happened for this story!

**Phobia…**

I have, disturbingly enough, developed a phobia of candy canes. The hooked, red and white, mint sweets are no longer appealing in my eyes, but rather strike irrational fear in my inexistent—as some would argue—heart. Not a particularly fitting dread for a Turk, but I'm not the one at fault. All complaints pertaining to this anomaly should be filed to my stomach rather than me personally. The rebellious organ doesn't seem to want to agree with my cerebral cortex, and I, unfortunately enough, can't do squat to ratify my little problem. The moment I spot anything faintly resembling a candy cane, the content of my said, disobedient stomach begs to be reintroduced to the outside world. I, for some _odd _reason, don't find the sight of digested food particularly pleasant; and therefore, bolt the second I notice any red and white striped objects.

So what exactly triggered this so-called phobia? It definitely had something to do with the impending winter holidays, the never-ending supply of these mint sweets in the stores, and the abundance of cash I could afford to waste on my sweet tooth. That's right; I overstuffed myself and now can't bear to look at another candy cane for as long as I live. And so I'm being overly dramatic, but you get the point.

In fact, it has become my strange yet persistent tradition—ever since I've decided to stuff a zillion candy canes down my throat—that I circumvent the main street and the decorated, vibrantly-colored shop windows (which also happen to sport a plethora of candy within their borders) and enter the back alley which is a diagonal between my apartment and the ShinRa Headquarters instead. Actually, as of December 6th this has become my custom route for traveling to work every morning.

"Good morning, Elena!" The usual high-spirited greeting escaped Mrs. Williams' lips the moment I walked through the doors to the new and improved—actually, hardly new and certainly not improved—ShinRa. The elderly lady has been working as Reeve's secretary for the past three month; and I must admit, her sweetness can even lighten my own darkening disposition at this unspeakably early hour of the morning.

"Good morning ma'am." I replied politely, trying to stop as etiquette dictates while balancing a portfolio, a laptop, and a cup of coffee in my two frozen hands. I briefly wondered how I managed to open the heavy double doors to enter the building in the first place, but banished the thought immediately. A subject that requires thinking is not to be discussed or pondered upon at seven in the morning under any circumstances.

Mrs. Williams laughed at my, ridiculously, comical appearance and waved towards my office on the other end of the square-shaped foyer. I nodded at her thankfully and took my hasty leave towards my sanctuary, which apparently is much farther away than I perceived it to be for the past year or so. Four feet to the finish line, three feet, two feet, one foot…and we have connection. _Shit!_

The second I burst through the door to my office, I collided with something hard and large. Needless to say, my portfolio fell from my limp hand to the floor, papers flying every which way, my laptop decided to leave the refuge under my arm and dropped to the carpeted ground with a clatter, and my coffee (rather obviously) lurched forward, the brown, hot liquid covering both me and that something large and hard in front.

After a stiff, painfully long moment, I finally gathered enough courage to open my shut eyes and glare at whatever the hell caused all this racket…obviously, I'm speaking of the thing in front and not myself.

Mako-enhanced, blue eyes, blonde spikes of hair, and a muscular frame in black clothes was what I received as the wonderful view upon my daring move to glance up. _Strife…FUCK!_

**Author's Note: **Thanks you so much for reading! I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter XD I would like to apologize for it being so short, but it's just an opening…I needed to get it started somehow. So this will be a Cloud/Elena, eccentric pairing, but I have an interesting plot idea to go with it XD Please R&R and tell me what you think! All your review and comments are welcome. It would be a pleasure to know how you're finding the introduction. Thanks again.


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